by From January 26, we are participating in a new education and discussion series entitled ‘Why Marx?‘ It is organised by a number of Marxists, some organised in groups, some currently unaffiliated. More info here and below:
We are a group of Marxists, all of us active in the labour and socialist movements to advance the cause of the working class. We come from different traditions but we have a shared objective in developing the ideas of Marxism through debate and discussion, and in advocating for them in the labour & socialist movements and beyond. Read our mission statement here.
Our first eight sessions (Thursdays 7pm) are designed to give an overview of the ‘building blocks of Marxism’. We will delve further into the issues raised in the second section of our series, when we will investigate various issues around Marxism, for example ‘Marxism and the state’, ‘Marxism and democracy’ etc. We have listed the reading recommendations in order of their importance – if you only have time to read one thing, please start from the top! Our sessions are democratic and we believe discussion and debate are extremely important.
January 26: Introduction to the series
Speakers:
Nick Wrack (Talking About Socialism), Kevin Bean (Labour Party Marxists), Ian Spencer
Recommended reading:
The series’ mission statement
Karl Marx: Critique of the Gotha Program
Karl Marx: Theses on Feuerbach
Frederick Engels: Socialism: Utopian and Scientific
February 3: What did Marx and Engels mean by ‘socialism’?
Speakers:
Luke Pickrell (Marxist Unity Group US), Nick Wrack (Talking About Socialism), John Holliday (Socialist Theory Study Group)
Recommended Reading:
Nick Wrack: “What is Socialism?”
Karl Marx: Letter to J Weydemeyer
Karl Marx: Letter to Ruge
Karl Marx: Address to the Communist League
Karl Marx: Value, Price and Profit (section)
Bertell Ollman: Marx’ vision of communism
Karl Marx: Critique of the Gotha Program
February 9: Is the Communist Manifesto still relevant today?
Speakers:
Nick Wrack (Talking About Socialism), Rob Gould (Socialist Theory Study Group)
Recommended Reading:
Manifesto of the Communist Party
February 16: Is ‘Capital’ still relevant today? What’s the main message?
Speakers:
Ian Spencer, John Holliday (Socialist Theory Study Group)
Recommended Reading:
Karl Marx: Capital chapter 1: Opening chapters
Karl Marx: Part 4 of Chapter 1 on Fetishism of Commodities
Karl Marx: Preface to the First German edition
Karl Marx: Afterward to the Second German edition
Fredy Perlman: Commodity fetishism (and why it is important to read Marx)
Karl Marx: Value, Price and Profit
David Harvey (introductory session)
February 23: Is there still a working class?
Speakers:
Luke Pickrell (Marxist Unity Group US), Matthew Jones (Labour Left Alliance)
Recommended reading:
Karl Marx: Programme of the French Workers’ Party
V.I. Lenin: What is to be done? Chapter three, section A
March 2: Does human nature make socialism impossible?
Speakers:
Ian Spencer, John Holliday (Socialist Theory Study Group)
Recommended Reading:
Karl Marx: Grundrisse. Chapter 1 (Production)
Karl Marx: Thesis on Feuerbach
Karl Marx: Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 (chapter on alienation)
Bertell Ollman: Various
István Mészáros: Marx’ Theory of Alienation
March 9: What Urkommunismus (‘primitive communism’) can tell us about a future socialist society
Speakers:
Tina Werkmann (Labour Left Alliance), Rob Gould (Socialist Theory Study Group)
Recommended Reading:
Frederick Engels: The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State
Rosa Luxemburg: Introduction to Political Economy, Chapter 3 (from page 146 in this PDF file)
March 16: Soviet Union, Cuba, China – socialist or workers’ states?
Speakers:
Ian Spencer, Kevin Bean (Labour Party Marxists), Matthew Jones (Labour Left Alliance), Paul Smith (Socialist Theory Study Group)
Recommended Reading:
Hillel Ticktin: Towards a Political Economy of the USSR
Hillel Ticktin: Perception, pretence and reality: The old system did not collapse: the elite decided to kill it off
